[EBB Sightings] Short-eared Owls continue near Byron; also intriguing bird sound

Birders:

Encouraged by reports from Clark Stanton and Art Edwards, I tried again 
yesterday for the Short-eared Owls that Kathy Robertson found on 
January 15.  (On January 19 I had tried between about 5:30 and 6:00 pm, 
but found only two Burrowing Owls and, later, two Barn Owls.)

I arrived at 10:00 am yesterday, and soon saw at least three 
Short-eared Owls, two Northern Harriers, and three White-tailed Kites 
hunting the fields in question.  A birder already there (don't know 
what time she arrived) said they were hunting when she arrived.  
Activity continued until near 11:00, then slacked off, and I left.  I 
saw no obvious prey captures by any of the raptors, and no 
inter-specific action.  A grazed field next to the raptors' hunting 
fields held two Burrowing Owls and one Long-billed Curlew, and an adult 
Ferruginous Hawk was beyond the right turn on Byron Hot Springs Road.

Very near the Holey Road/Byron Hot Springs Road intersection, I twice 
heard a series of 5-10 low "hoo" or "coo" notes, delivered slowly, on 
the same pitch, and at a uniform pace.  The sounds reminded me most of 
Greater Roadrunner (which seemed improbable at that location), except 
that its "song" often (always?) ends with the notes trailing off in 
pace and pitch.  I looked for a vocalizing bird, but saw none.  What I 
heard doesn't fit with any dove/pigeon or owl vocalization that I know 
of.  If anyone hears the same sound or, better yet, identifies the bird 
that made it, I'd be glad to hear about it.

Here are Kathy's directions: "The birds were all seen in a fenced area 
which is signed as "Byron Airport Habitat Protection Area". To get 
there, turn off the Byron Highway onto Holey Rd., then turn left on 
Byron Hot Springs Rd. The SEOWs were in the field on the right (west) 
side, from the intersection down to the first sharp right turn (later, 
I had one perched along the road just past the turn)."

Dave Quady
Berkeley, California
davequady at att.net